TransferSummit: Accessibility Adoption Expands in Open Innovation

In this, the third in a short series of articles introducing some of the topics which will be discussed at the upcoming TransferSummit in Oxford, Steve Lee and Sally Khudairi discuss the importance of accessibility solutions and the benefits of an open-source-based approach to such technologies.

For many, making ICT systems, software, and content accessible to people with disabilities is no longer an option, but rather a necessity, and, in some instances, a legal requirement. With the growing adoption of open source in mission-critical solutions, developing proper accessibility (“a11y”) solutions requires an understanding of the key issues, techniques, technologies and communities to ensure that innovations reach as many users as possible.

The future of computing hinges on bridging social gaps, and incorporating universal design concepts across a range of situations and devices ensures that all users will benefit, whether disabled or not. The World Health Organisation's estimate of one in seven individuals having a form of disability such as blindness, deafness, restricted movement, visual impairments, age-related deterioration, or learning difficulties, means that meeting their requirements is paramount to their interaction with computer technology, particularly as it becomes a more pervasive part of everyone's daily lives...